Endeavor and EBRD tap into Transylvania’s entrepreneurial potential

Endeavor Romania had the pleasure of co-hosting a highly anticipated networking event in Cluj-Napoca, in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Techsylvania, the leading technology conference in Eastern Europe.
As the first day of Techsylvania drew to a close, the old Casino of Cluj, located in Central Park, opened its doors to more than 200 game-changing entrepreneurs, top investors, brilliant industry leaders, and executives from local and international companies.
The event was meant to showcase the vibrant community of entrepreneurs from Cluj and connect them stronger with international ecosystem builders like Endeavor and EBRD. It was impressive to see the multitude of connections being formed, the exchange of innovative ideas, and the insatiable thirst for knowledge quenched by the brilliant minds gathered at the event.

The evening was honored by the presence of two emblematic entrepreneurial businesspeople from Cluj: Voicu Oprean, the CEO and founder of AROBS, and Tiberiu Moisa, the Deputy General Director of MidCorporate & SMEs at Banca Transilvania, both also board members of Endeavor Romania. Reminiscing on the history of Techsylvania, Voicu Oprean remarked on the way the local landscape changed since the first time gathering of this kind took place, also offering a glimpse of the future:
If I remember well, Techsylvania started 10 years ago. 7 years ago startups were doing their pitches in a car and now we have designed the first Romanian electrical car. The local ecosystem has grown so much, there are so many entrepreneurs and investors here these days. On the other side, I think we now have a huge need for early-stage companies to scale up. Endeavor is solving this, supporting the growth journeys of local entrepreneurs.

Tiberiu Moisa underlined the collaborative approach that a young ecosystem of builders needs to undertake to develop and drive innovation.

BT, the entrepreneurs’ bank, joined Endeavor from the very inception days because the way we innovate in our work is by teaming with creative partners, suppliers, and clients. This is how innovation gets transferred and goes to our customers.

This is not the first partnership between Endeavor and Techsylvania. Last year, Endeavor and Risky Business, a community of founders, angel investors, and mentors, assisted several Romanian tech entrepreneurs with a masterclass in pitching techniques which was followed by a pitching session on the conference stage, in front of relevant investors from around the globe. Prime Dash, Fagura, Sailo, Vestinda, Ultragreens, Beesers, 121 Tribe, Spark School, and MedicAI were amongst the startups selected to join the intense 2-week program that helped them break down and rebuild their pitches, improving strategy and presentation skills along the way.

As international networks like Endeavor work to build their presence and impact in Romania, it’s crucial to identify the right partners that are aligned in mission and values. The partnership with EBRD and Techsylvania was a testament to how brains and finance can come together in a regional setting and drive change.

In the end, #exploretoday and #innovatetomorrow are all about keeping an open eye to new perspectives, pushing limits, following up on well-matched connections, stepping outside of the comfort zone, and embracing new challenges